A recent review of 22 clinical trials involving 6,200 patients led researchers to conclude:"Our results showed that published scientific studies of at least 24 weeks of pioglitazone [Actos] treatment in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus did not provide convincing evidence that patient-oriented outcomes like mortality, morbidity, adverse effects and health-related quality of life are positively influenced by this drug."
- Bernd Richter, MD, study's lead author.
The study appears in a recent publication of The Cochrane Library.
The authors did find that Actos™ improved measures of blood glucose. But how that benefit may translate into improved quality of life - both now and in the long term - is at the moment ambiguous.
Actos™ (pioglitazone) works by increasing the body's sensitivity to insulin, improving glucose uptake into cells and consequently lowering blood glucose. It's in a class of drugs called thiazolidinediones. GlaxoSmithKline's Avandia™ (rosiglitazone) also falls into this category. A major drawback to these drugs is fluid retention or edema.
It should be noted that no patient in any of the 22 trials was observed taking Actos for longer than 34.5 months (~ 2.8 years). It's possible that longer term use could benefit (or worsen) heart health and mortality over time. Further study should establish this.
For the study (abstract only):
Pioglitazone for type 2 diabetes mellitus
Some news summaries:
Widely Prescribed Diabetes Drug Falls Short Of Promise, Says New Review
Reassessing Diabetes Treatments: A New Report Raises Old Concerns About a Popular Diabetes Drug
